Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com
Thu, 13 Nov 2014 07:12:37 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1Ladies mountain bike weekend – Arabella Hotel & Spahttp://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ladies-mountain-bike-weekend-arabella-hotel-spa-2
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ladies-mountain-bike-weekend-arabella-hotel-spa-2#commentsMon, 16 Dec 2013 20:12:48 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=2124On the 6th of December, a bunch of fun-loving outdoorsy woman, made they way to Arabella Hotel and Spa in Kleinmond for my ladies mountain bike weekend. On the shores of the Bot River Lagoon, with panoramic views of the Palmiet mountain range, Arabella Country Estate is renowned for tranquil estate living in the magnificent surroundings of a World Heritage nature reserve… the perfect spot for a mountain biking weekend!

Mountain biking is quite an intense and highly technical sport to master, which makes it intimidating for women and most perceive it to be a dangerous sport. When I first started mountain biking, I was thrown into the deep end! Not many women were mountain biking at the time either. I didn’t acquire the much-needed skills until many years later & I found myself a bit isolated within a mostly male-dominated sport. To ensure other women do not go through this, I decided to organise a few mountain biking weekend specifically for woman.

Ladies booked in throughout the Friday afternoon and then gathered in the hotel bar in the early evening to meet one another. At first a bit shy, by the time we headed to our rooms after dinner and a couple of glasses of wine, the ladies were babbling like long-lost friends!

On Saturday morning we headed up the long 8km climb on the Highlands road and once at the top, were met by the “short-course” girls and a much-needed water point. After refueling, the whole group headed off to enjoy some breathtaking views from the top of the mountain, whizzing in between lush pine forests and applying the technical knowledge taught by myself and some other experienced riders along the way. Weary bodies were taken care of throughout the afternoon by fantastic sports massage therapists, Nicole and Hilana. Guests also enjoyed the hotel facilities, like the world class spa and luxurious pool area.

In the early evening, the ladies gained some very valuable hands-on mechanical knowledge which they thoroughly enjoyed. I want to empower female mountain bikers to have the ability to fix their own bikes when they have problems whilst training or racing. They each had to plug tyres, change and “bomb” tubes, break chains etc.

A very special visitor, Samantha O’Keefe from Lizmore Wines, made her way all the way from Greyton on Saturday evening to share her fantastic wines with us. After all, it was a LADIES mountain bike weekend, so why not have a fantastic female wine maker pop in? She’s an incredible woman who makes award winning wines and whilst tasting them, it became quite clear why her wines receive such accolades.

On Sunday we made our way through beautiful farmlands, winding our way through olive groves and fruit orchards, in between fynbos and vineyards, stopping off at Barton Wine Estate for refreshments and Chardonnay spritzers, and finishing off at Wildekrans – home to an award winning wine maker (William Wilkinson) and his highly acclaimed wines – not before testing out the fun single track on the farm! My guests tucked into scrumptious macaroons (Ma Mere), coupled with Wildekrans’ MCC and strawberries whilst lazing on the lush lawns.

After being bused back and freshening up, we all sat down to another one of Arabella’s famous meals. Some goodbyes were said, and others stayed on enjoying the pool area and spa for much-needed TLC after a tiring but awesome weekend.

This was the first of many ladies and family weekends that I’ll be hosting. We had an absolutely fantastic time and it was great having such an awesome bunch of like-minded, down-to-earth, fun woman. Arabella Hotel’s staff were unbelievable – the service is just superb and the food was amazing! A huge thank you to my guests for joining me, the friendly and professional staff at Arabella, and to my amazing friends, Corne, Robert, Nicole, Hilana and Kelly for all their help over the weekend. A huge thank you also to my amazing sponsors/partners for the weekend – Arabella Hotel, Velocity Sports Lab, Cycle Lab, Oakley, Giro, Salomon, Superfoods, Cape Union Mart, Ma Mere, Mesoestetic, Hammer Nutrition and The Body Shop! Without such an amazing team of friends and supporting sponsors, none of this would have be possible! THANK YOU!

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ladies-mountain-bike-weekend-arabella-hotel-spa-2/feed0ABSA Cape Epic Training Camp – Greyton, 24 to 26 Jan 2014http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/absa-cape-epic-training-camp-greyton-23-26-jan-2014
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/absa-cape-epic-training-camp-greyton-23-26-jan-2014#commentsFri, 13 Dec 2013 17:37:13 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=2096From the 24th – 26th of January 2014 (3 nights, 3 days of riding), Vanessa Haywood in association with Rockhopper Adventures, will be hosting a Cape Epic training camp in and around the Greyton area! Although the camp is designed for athletes taking part in the Cape Epic, all cyclists are more than welcome.

Vanessa is no stranger to stage racing and the Cape Epic in particular. She is a respected endurance athlete having completed two ABSA Cape Epic’s in 2012 and 2013, the Leadville 100 miler in Colorado and many other grueling races. She has graced the covers of many sporting and cycling magazines and owns her own sports marketing and events company.

Rockhopper Adventures was founded by Corne Barnard who is a Greyton local and knows the trails in the area like the back of his hand. He was a South African provisional cyclist and completed 2 seasons as a professional cyclist in Belgium. Also an accomplished stage race athlete, Corne coaches mountain biking to youths, owns his own cycling shop and is actively involved in building trails around the Greyton area. He’s been involved in the cycling industry for more than 16 years.

Vanessa and Corne, assisted by other seasoned cyclists, will give you the confidence needed to compete in the 2014 ABSA Cape Epic. You’ll be staying in luxurious accommodation (Greyton Lodge www.greytonlodge.co.za) , enjoy informative talks by Prof. Sthinus Barnard, ride on parts of the actual race course and dine at fantastic local eateries. All meals are included as well as water point drinks and snacks. (Excluded – sports massages (performed by highly qualified sports massage therapists & physiotherapists) and hotel beverages.)

Training camp details:

Thur 23 Jan (afternoon) -

Check in at Greyton Lodge – Luxury Boutique Hotel

Fri to Sun (24 – 26 Jan) -

Ride approximately 85 to 125km a day on parts of stage 3 and 5, and most of

A more detailed itinerary with exact cycling distances will be released closer to the time.

What the weekend includes:

Accommodation – 3 nights

All meals – breakfast, light lunch en route & dinner

Airport pick up for out-of-towners (numbers limited so please book!)

Waterpoint drinks & snacks

Bike wash/lube & mini service

Informative Epic-related talks

On-the-bike advice

Vehicle & mechanical back up

What the weekend excludes:

Beverages at the hotel

Bike parts

Sports massages

Personal items & laundry

OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS/ BIKE TRANSPORT:

We can unfortunately not transport bike boxes from the airport, so guests flying in can courier their bikes from JHB, George, Durban, PE or Bloemfontein at a cost of R550 incl. VAT (R600 if you require bubble wrap) with Star Express.

The time from collection to delivery is 3 – 4 days

Collections and deliveries need to take place on a weekday – collection from your home, wrapping which requires no dismantling & delivery to Rockhoppers in Greyton, & then returned to your home. No need for boxing or un-boxing!

All payments need to be paid in full before we can arrange the collection

Bikes must be clearly labelled with the rider’s name & address, and must please reach Rockhoppers in Greyton by the 22nd of Jan at the latest.

Please contact Damon at Star Express on 011-9740085 or email him on damon@starexpress.co.za to make your bike transport booking.

NOTES:

A minimum number of 15 athletes will be required for this camp to go ahead and a maximum of 25 will be accepted.

If you don’t have a friend/team mate to share with but would like to enjoy the “sharing rate”, please let us know as we may be able to assist you.

Mechanical services are available but should any parts need to be replaced, this will be for your own account.

Non-riding partners are welcome to enjoy the “sharing” option but they will pay the same R4 890 sharing rate for the weekend.

ROOM 16-KING SIZE BED WITH OPEN PLAN BATHROOM WITH SHOWER AND AIR-CONDITION- couple or 1 person

ROOM 17-KING SIZE BED WITH OPEN PLAN BATHROOM WITH SHOWER AND AIR-CONDITION- couple or 1 person

ROOM 18-KING SIZE BED WITH OPEN PLAN BATHROOM WITH SHOWER AND AIR-CONDITION- couple or 1 person

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/absa-cape-epic-training-camp-greyton-23-26-jan-2014/feed0Ladies Mountain Bike weekend at Arabella Hotel & Spahttp://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ladies-mountain-bike-weekend-arabella-hotel-spa
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ladies-mountain-bike-weekend-arabella-hotel-spa#commentsTue, 22 Oct 2013 07:18:57 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=2073Mountain biking is the fastest growing sport in South Africa and one of the fastest growing in the world, with exponential growth specifically in the woman’s market. Ladies want to get a piece of the action too!

Mountain biking is, however quite an intense and highly technical sport to master, which makes it intimidating for women to master the sport in this mostly male-dominated arena. Enter Vanessa Haywood – internationally and locally known as the leading lady in the film District 9 and also a top model – Vanessa has moved into the extreme sporting world of endurance mountain biking with perceived ease, including completing two ABSA Cape Epic’s and the Leadville 100 miler in Colorado.

“When I first started mountain biking, I was thrown into the deep end! Not many women were mountain biking at the time either. I didn’t acquire the much needed skills until many years later & I found myself a bit isolated within a mostly male-dominated sport,” explains Vanessa.

So to ensure other women do not go through this, Vanessa has organised a mountain biking weekend specifically for woman at the beautiful Arabella Country Estate from the 6th to the 8th of December 2013. It will be a first in a series of weekends hosted by her. Ride.

“This event is aimed at woman wanting to experience a fun, stress-free weekend of awesome riding and socializing. Men and families will however get a chance soon too! I’ll be hosting several of these events across the country over the next year. I hope to see you at one of them!” reassures Vanessa.

Guests will be staying at the 5-star Arabella Hotel & Spa, where they will be taught technical and mechanical skills to equip them to become competent mountain bikers. Long and short routes will be offered on the both the 7th and 8th of December for guests to choose from, with water and snack points en route. Massages are an optional extra and need to booked in advance, and the Spa is offering 20% off all treatments for guests too. Riders from “up-country” are more than welcome and bike transport or bike hire can be arranged but notification is needed well in advance.

For R5 500 per person single and R3 900 per person sharing, you can enjoy 2 luxurious nights at the Arabella, all meals included (excluding beverages) and ride fantastic mountain bike routes.

All skills levels are welcome, from those who have just purchased their first mountain bike, to those who regularly go out to play in the mountains but would like to learn more. To book your spot please email Vanessa on info@vanessahaywood.com. Please visit www.arabellacountryestate.co.za for more information about the venue .

Download the <Booking form> or alternatively email info@vanessahaywood.com & get sent the Excel doc for easy fill-in!

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ladies-mountain-bike-weekend-arabella-hotel-spa/feed0Leadville 100 miler & Ride to Nowherehttp://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/leadville-ride
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/leadville-ride#commentsSat, 21 Sep 2013 16:13:40 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=2024I’m not even sure where to begin! The last 2 months have been a whirlwind of fun, massive altitudes, mountains, rad people and miles of cycling.. the way I like it!

Half way through July, we left the cold, wet embrace of Cape Town and flew off to Colorado, the US of A – one of my favourite places on earth! Colorado is one of those special places with incredible landscapes, interesting little towns and friendly people. Ryan and I were both there with a mission in mind – the Leadville race series.

After 3 weeks of adjusting to the altitude, a bout of flu and lots of training, I was ready to kick some mountain butt… well, sort of. Coming from sea level and performing at 3100m above sea level, climbing to a magnificent altitude of 4000m, is tough. Really tough. Imagine sucking air through a thin straw whilst running or cycling, and that that tiny stream of life-giving air is your only source of oxygen. That’s what it’s like. Add a bit of asthma to that equation and you basically have a wheezing 95 year old…me!

Christoph Sauser & I training in Breckenridge

Never-the-less, come race day, I put my big-girl panties on, jumped on my 29-er and rode my heart out over 160km through sublime forests and mountains, and climbed a total of 3800 meters. I had the world’s most jacked-up crew consisting of Mr Ryan Sandes and Mr Ryan Scott (Ryan’s are good people) who fed me, wiped my sweaty face and made me smile! Cowbells-a-ringing, the spectators were phenomenal and the race was so well organised! For once, I did not RACE… I took my time, looked at the scenery, chatted to some fabulous Americans and soaked in the day. It was awesome!

A week later and after much prepping, it was Ryan’s turn. I am always in awe of people who take on 100 miles on foot… They are both amazing and nuts! Ryan was starting the day with a back injury which worried me but he put on a brave face. The day was going well and he was in the top 3 but at the 50 mile mark (the turn around point), the first 5 guys came in. Then another 3 came in. My stomach churned and I just knew. Eventually I saw him hobble into the check point, looking defeated and so, so sad. “I can hardly walk” he said, “My back is killing me.”

Drive in showing The Lone Ranger! ha ha!

We drove home mostly in silence as I tried to console him and ensure him that he was still the best, and that ALL professional athletes get injuries and go through bad times. The next few weeks were rough on us both as we returned home to “reality”, his rehab began and we tried to pick up the pieces. It broke my heart to see him like that and to make things worse, my health wasn’t great either. After years of endurance racing and very little rest time after the Cape Epic this year, my body was very angry with me. I was warned against things like Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, elevated Cortisol levels, Glandular Fever and I got really scared. I was so tired and I had to listen to my body, so after weeks of giving it some serious thought, I pulled out of both the Cape Pioneer and Cape Epic. It was a difficult decision but I am at total peace with it as my withdrawal has opened up new doors! I am feeling MUCH better now though and taking good care of myself! Health comes first and even though I’m stepping back a bit from the BIG GIRL races, I am still very much a part of all the others! Vanessa is not retiring!

So over the last few weeks, we’ve healed, rested, regrouped and are once again ready to take over the world! I took part in the amazing Ride to Nowhere last weekend, and just like last year, this race remains one of my favorite on the calendar! The little town of McGregor is a very special place and the locals are so welcoming!

My friend, Nicole and I stayed in a lovely self catering cottage just a stone-throw away from the race village. We had incredible weather on Friday and as we wound our way through vineyards and over mountain passes, I was reminded why I do this – for the love of it! Much local wine was consumed by all on Friday night, soothing our sore muscles. The food, as usual, was out of this world! There is nothing quite like “boere-kos”!

Beautiful routes near McGregor!

On Saturday, the weather was cooler and the route just as beautiful as the day before. Colourful “fygies” bloomed everywhere as a few short nasty climbs forced our focus to the ground. The evening’s entertainment included singing and fire dancing! Never a dull moment in McGregor!

Mother nature was angry on Sunday. I lay awake most of the night worrying that our roof was going to blow away and praying that the wind would be gone in the morning. Fat chance! As I fought my way out of McGregor along side Paul Valstar, the wind simply blew me right off my bike! A while later, the rain felt like hundreds of needles on my face as the wind smashed into us at about 60km/h. I regained my sense of humour and embraced the madness that would involve kayaking myself across 800 meters of dam with crazy crosswinds that would take you over the dam wall if you weren’t careful! Our bikes travelled across in a motorized boat as we paddled our way across the water. The water crossing is still one of the highlights of this super stage race!

It’s 5 days later and I have almost fully recovered, and I’m in an airplane again! I’m off to Kathu in the Northern Cape to ride in the Kumba Classic – a 105km road race hosted by Anglo American/Kumba Iron Ore. I’ve never been to that part of South Africa and I’m so looking forward to meeting new people and doing what I do best – motivating people to get off their bums and ride a bike!

Lastly, a HUGE thank you to the Leadville and Ride to Nowhere race organisers for having me, and my dream giver’s – Cycle Lab, KTM, Oakley, Craft, Mesoestetic, Salomon and Cape Union Mart! Until next time, may the force be with you!

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/leadville-ride/feed0Leadville 100 miler here I come!http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/leadville-100-miler-come
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/leadville-100-miler-come#commentsFri, 09 Aug 2013 23:24:33 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=1997WOW! The last month and a half has been a whirlwind of note! Just a few weeks ago I was at the Knysna Oyster Festival taking part in some of their sporting events, judging various culinary competitions, MC-ing events and then of course… the ENGAGEMENT! The week marked Ryan and my 3rd anniversary and he popped the question on one knee, on the beach, sun setting over the horizon, with champagne… I’ve been on cloud 9 ever since!

Only a few days after we got back from Knysna, we were packing for another epic adventure to the US and to one of my favourite places – Leadville, Colorado! We were here in 2011 when Ryan ran (and won!) his first ever 100 mile trail run and hopefully he’ll have another stellar of a year this time. We’ve been here for the last 3 weeks training, taking in the sites, visiting nearby villages, eating LOTS of Mexican and just enjoying this awesome little town and it’s rad people.

I was super blessed to get an entry to the 100 miler mountain bike race taking place this weekend… in a few hours to be exact. I can quite easily say that I have never been this nervous for a race in my life before. “Why?” you ask after two ABSA Cape Epic’s. It’s simple – altitude. Coming from sea level to 3100m above sea level is interesting to say the least. Those of you who have done any form of exercise at high altitude will understand. I remember cycling up Columbine Mountain (3800m) last weekend and thinking on more than one occasion that I may actually die on that mountain! The air is just so thin and you suck air like its the last breaths you’ll ever take! It’s really intense but I sincerely hope that I have adjusted a little to the mountains.

I am so excited about embarking on this awesome experience with 2500 other mountain biking enthusiasts! What makes it even more special is that I am only one of a handful of foreigners doing this race! It was a privilege being asked to stand up in the hall at race briefing and knowing that I am here to represent South Africa! Whoop whoop!

Thank you so much to the Leadville Race Series team for allowing me to take part in this prestigious race and to all my family, friends and sponsors for your never-ending support and love! It means the world to me! If you’d like to track my progress on Saturday the 10th of Aug, you can log onto www.leadvilleraceseries.com and look up my name or race number – 621. (We start 14:30 South Africa time; 06:30 Colorado time)

Good luck to all the crazies taking part this weekend! Kick butt!

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/leadville-100-miler-come/feed0Ride to Nowhere – McGregor, 13 to 15 Sept 2013http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ride-mcgregor-13-15-sept-2013
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ride-mcgregor-13-15-sept-2013#commentsMon, 29 Jul 2013 20:03:53 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=1985In September last year, Ryan, Thandi and I made our way to the beautiful little village of McGregor for the “Ride to Nowhere” – a 3 day mountain bike stage race. Having never spent any time in McGregor, I was really intrigued by everything I had read about it and was really excited about what lay ahead!

The race and weekend as a whole completely outweighed my expectations! The race route offered a bit of everything that both the beginner and experienced mountain biker would enjoy, the entertainment offered by locals was spectacular, the food was wholesome and yummy, and the people (both local and out-of-town) were loads of fun! Honestly one of the “funnest” mountain biking weekends I have ever had and so family-friendly! Go to http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/cycle-tours-ride to read my blog and see photos from 2012!

This year, Cycle Lab Tours will be hosting the Ride to Nowhere from 13 to 15 September and spaces are filling fast! Don’t delay as you’ll be missing out on a wonderful weekend away and not far from Cape Town at all!

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/ride-mcgregor-13-15-sept-2013/feed0Retinoids & your skinhttp://vanessahaywood.com/articles/retinoids-skin
http://vanessahaywood.com/articles/retinoids-skin#commentsWed, 26 Jun 2013 10:34:55 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=1963Retinoids are a class of chemical compounds structurally related to vitamin A. This group includes different structural forms of Vit A, eg. an aldehyde form (retinaldehyde), an alcohol form (retinol), a carboxylic acid form (retinoic acid) or an ester form (retinyl palmitate/acetate).

Retinol is the alcohol form of the vitamin A molecule. It is considered a cosmetic ingredient and found only in non-prescription products (mostly skin care). Retinol can be broken down to become other forms of vitamin A that are found in skin-care products or prescription products. Generally, pure retinol is considered more effective than retinol derivatives.

Prescription retinoid products such as Retin-A contain the active ingredient retinoic acid (tretinoin). Tretinoin is far more potent than retinol but carries a higher risk of irritation. When doctors discuss “prescription retinol”, they’re referring to various forms of vitamin A that can only be used in prescription medications. Retin-A is the best known prescription retinoid and can be prescribed by your dermatologist or GP.

Retin-A has a lightweight cream texture and is most often prescribed for acne. Tretinoin is also available as a generic that is just as effective as brand name versions. Regardless of brand or texture, tretinoin fights wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and breakouts. Retinoids in all forms, over the counter or prescription-only, are excellent for preventing and improving signs of aging. In order for the over-the-counter version of the retinoid molecule to be effective it must break down into the active form (tretinoin) found in prescription vitamin A products.

Prescription retinoids are more active and work faster. Cosmetic retinoids take longer to have an effect but prescription retinoids present a greater a risk of causing irritation. For some people the irritation never goes away and they can’t use it. Cosmetic retinoids have a far lower risk of causing irritation. It takes experimenting to see which frequency of application works best for you. Many find that using tretinoin 2–3 times per week works great while others can use it every day.

A common misperception about retinoinds, is that they exfoliate your skin. Retinoids in any form do not do exactly the same thing as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) . AHAs and BHAs exfoliate the surface layers of dead built-up skin, improving sun damaged or genetically thickened skin cells.

Whether over-the-counter or prescription form, retinoids are a cell-communicating ingredient that “tells” skin cells to make healthier, younger cells and can enhance the production of new skin cells. When you have sun damaged skin, this communication is incredibly beneficial because sun damaged skin produces unhealthy, abnormal and inflexible skin cells.

Where it gets confusing is because retinoids in both over-the-counter and prescription products can cause flaking. Because of this side effect, people assume it is also exfoliating their skin. Flaking skin is not exfoliation. AHAs and BHAs help skin do what it should be doing naturally and naturally you don’t see your healthy skin cells shed. Instead, you just see a smooth, renewed skin surface and a healthy glow. For the best anti-aging, anti-wrinkle benefit it is ideal to use both an exfoliant and a topical retinoid.

Important note: whether you choose an over-the-counter or prescription retinoid product, daily use of a well formulated sunscreen rated SPF 30 or greater is a must! Even the most effective, research-proven anti-aging ingredients won’t work like you want them to if you’re not diligent about sun protection. After all, sun damage created most of what you’re using anti-aging products to improve!

By: Dr. Riaan van Tonder from The Panorama Plastic Surgery Clinic.

I visit Dr. Riaan from time to time for their non-surgical procedures which range from facial peels to hair lazer removal. Visit http://www.ppsc.co.za/ppsc/non-surgical.html to find out more. My skin was so sun damaged from years of sport & being outdoors a lot – my skin has improved dramatically since I started seeing Dr. van Tonder and using Mesoestetic skin care! http://www.mesoestetic.co.za/?m=1

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http://vanessahaywood.com/articles/retinoids-skin/feed0“Vanessa & Friends” is growing beautifully!http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/vanessa-friends-growing-beautifully
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/vanessa-friends-growing-beautifully#commentsMon, 17 Jun 2013 11:57:11 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=1914A few weeks ago I had to cancel my “Vanessa & Friends” social ride due to an impending Cyclone making its way to Cape Town! Thank heavens I made the call because the weather was nuts! The high winds and torrential rain went on for days! So, with little notice (winter weather in Cape Town is so unpredictable), and a great forecast from Windguru, I decided to have the postponed ride this last weekend.

Cyclists of varying strengths, arrived at Velocity Sports Lab in Hout Bay on Saturday morning on their mountain and road bikes. We had a fantastic turn out, the weather was sunny and there was not a breath of wind! Vida provided us with our caffeine-kick cappuccinos that kept us all going for the 20-odd km’s we rode (Hout Bay to Sun Valley and back).

The Group at the top of Chappies

The reason I started this social ride was to grow the sport of cycling, to give fellow cycling enthusiasts a chance to interact and chat, and to get newbies into the sport. Hardcore cyclists often get too caught up in training and racing, and we tend to forget why we started cycling in the first place…for the pure enjoyment of it! People wanting to start cycling are literally terrified to join the “crazy athletes” because as they’ve said to me, “You guys will just ride away from me!” These #cyclewithness rides put racing egos aside and allow us to just have a good time and enjoy the view! Machines like Zee Ismail, Oliver Munnik and Paul Ingpen even joined in!

There have been many cyclists involved in road accidents, most fatal, so this road ride in particular was also in honour of those who’ve lost their lives on the road and to raise awareness of road cyclists in South Africa. In order to make all my guests feel at ease, Jan du Toit (aka Player 23-the guy anyone can rely on!) from Cycle Lab drove a branded vehicle behind us to alert motorists of our group of cyclists. Everyone rode safely and motorists were patient and respectful of our presence which was great!

We all reconvened back at Velocity at the end of the ride, had some more coffee and Jan was there to hand out some great giveaways ! Thank you so much to my sponsors KTM and Cycle Lab for your unwavering support, and to my partners Oakley, Cape Union Mart, Craft, Mesoestetic and Ma Mere. A special thanks to Velocity Sports Lab for hosting us and for the Vida cappuccinos! And to Craig who took pics for us!

Last but not least, a huge thank you to all of you who joined in for the ride! What an amazing morning! See you at the next one!

You can bring any bike – tricycle, unicycle, road bike, mountain bike etc. It is a road ride but for those of you worried about cars, we have the awesome “Player 23″, Jan du Toit driving the Cycle Lab vehicle behind our group, which will warn motorists that we are ahead!

Vida will be giving us coffees for that caffeine injection and there are also some rad give-aways! Be there or you’re a loser! He he he!

]]>http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/vanessa-friends-15-june/feed0Fitness Magazine – May 2013http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/fitness-magazine-2013
http://vanessahaywood.com/sports-and-lifestyle/fitness-magazine-2013#commentsSat, 25 May 2013 07:10:14 +0000Vanessa Haywoodhttp://vanessahaywood.com/?p=1835I wrote this article for Fitness Magazine (May 2013) about my experience at the ABSA Cape Epic this year…